


The Break Up

by renfield31



Category: Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Genre: F/M, sad mushy stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-19 17:19:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3617949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renfield31/pseuds/renfield31
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Don and Kathy break up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kathy Has Had Enough

**Author's Note:**

> This is set right after Kathy says she doesn't want to see Don again. This fic shouldn't get too sexual, but I rated it M just to be safe.

"I'll do it, Don, but I never want to see you again, on or off the screen!"

Those words cut Don to the core. As Kathy ran out of the theater, he forgot about exposing Lina. All he wanted was his girl.

Don ran out out of the theater, searching for her, but just as on the night where she had jumped out of the cake, she had driven off into the moonlight. Don went back inside.

\-----------------

The next day, he didn't see her at work, but clocked in to a note on his dressing room door.

"Don," it read. "what you did last night appalled me. I thought you and Cosmo would be better than that. I've lost all respect for the both of you and I meant what I said; don't try to contact me ever again. If the two of you ever think about maturing, then MAYBE you may contact me. Until then, goodbye, Don. It's been sweet and you showed me a lot of love and the ropes of showbiz, but I can't be with you. I'm sorry. Goodbye."


	2. Drinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don and Cosmo discuss the situation.

"So let me get this straight: she left a note on your dressing room door telling you she was leaving you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Don slammed his drink down onto the bar. "Christ, Cosmo, do you think I'd be here if I knew?"

The boys were at their favorite joint getting a few drinks, Don maybe aiming for more than a few. It had been six hours since he had read the note from Kathy, and every word was still playing like a film reel in his head.

"Sorry," Cosmo said timidly, turning back to stare in his drink. 

Don pressed his palm to his forehead. "No, it's fine, it's just..." he looked at Cosmo. "she says she doesn't like what we did last night."

"We had to do it."

"I know."

"Then TELL her that!"

"I haven't seen her for 24 hours!"

Both men stared straight ahead, sipping their beers. After a long silence, Cosmo turned to Don.

"Hey, maybe this is a good thing, you know? Because we get to spend more time together picking up dames, getting zozzled, you can play the field and be an eligible bachelor just like you used to! There's plenty of other dames that want you, Donnie."

"I don't want another dame! I want Kathy!"

"Okay! Okay! Calm down!"

A single tear rolled down Don's cheek. Cosmo stifled a laugh.

"You're crying!"

"What? No I'm not."

"Yes you are! I just saw a tear!"

"Okay, so what if I was?" Don lowered his voice. "Cos, you know how much Kathy means to me. I...I've never felt the way I do with her with any other dame I've been with, romantically or physically."

Cosmo stifled another laugh upon hearing the word "physically." Don slammed his hand on the bar again. The bartender looked over and brought him another beer, thinking he wanted one by slamming his hand.

"Why is this such a joke to you?" Don asked, exasperated.

Cosmo finished laughing. "It's not a joke, pal." He patted Don's back. "Look, we're gonna get her back for ya."

"How?"

Cosmo stared straight ahead again and thought for a minute before turning back to Don. "I'll talk to her."

Don raised an eyebrow. " _Talk_ to her?"

"Come on, Don, she's your girl, do you _really_ think I'm gonna sleep with her?"

Don turned straight ahead and took a giant swig of his new beer. "I know you, Cos."

Cosmo swirled around on the stool to get up to leave. "Well, if you don't want her back..."

Don grabbed his arm. "Wait!" Cosmo turned to face his best friend. "okay. Talk to her. But just talk."

"You got my word, pal. Just talk."


	3. Cosmo is the Middle Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cosmo comes to talk Kathy into getting back together with Don. Will he be successful?

Kathy threw another crumpled up tissue into the pile of what looked like thousands of others that stood on the kitchen table in her apartment. How many there were, she didn't know nor care; she had lost count. Lina had too as she handed her another one. It had been three weeks since Kathy had made up her mind to leave Don, and, 22 days later, she still hadn't stopped crying. She had thought that she'd be stronger than this, but she cried daily. She was still in a robe. She had taken a little bit of a bath that morning, but thought of the baths she shared with Don and got out of the tub immediately, crying. Now, late at night, she had called Lina to come over and talk to her, which ended up, of course, with her crying. 

Kathy dragged a hand down her tear-stained face.

"Oh Lina, I miss him!" she began to cry more.

Lina shook her head.

"I miss him so much and I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I just..." Kathy wiped tears from her eyes with both hands. "I don't know."

Lina just stared at the table. She rubbed Kathy's back. "Let it all out, honey. Like every other woman in Hollywood."

"Don didn't treat me like that!"

"Mhm."

"He _didn't,_ Lina! He was so sweet and kind and I..."

"You what?"

Kathy banged her fists on the table, causing Lina to flinch. "I LOVE HIM!"

Lina stared at her in shock. "All right."

A knock came at the door, causing both girls to look up.

"I'll get it," Lina announced. She got up and walked over to the door and opened it, and there stood Cosmo in a white shirt and pink tie grasping his hat, looking as dapper as ever. With the look on his face, Lina thought _he_ was the one who'd been dumped.

"Hi Lina, I'd lie to talk to Kathy."

"We both know how you feel about her. You're only gonna upset her," Lina replied in a quiet voice.

"No, I won't. I just wanna talk to her."

Lina thought for a minute, then let him in. 

Cosmo saw Kathy look up at him and smile. He returned it and sat down. Before he could open his mouth, Kathy began.

"Cos, how is Don?"

He sighed. "Not good. He misses you, Kat."

Kathy sobbed more, looked down and shook her head. "I can't take him back," she whispered quietly.

Cosmo stared at her. "Why not?"

"Because he hurt me."

"You just said you still love him," Lina said, annoyed.

"I do, but I just...I can't. He did me wrong and it's up to him to apologize."

Cosmo rolled his eyes. Lina saw him do this and said, "I think that's fair, Cos."

"We didn't do anything wrong, Lina. We were just trying to expose ou for the fraud you are." He smirked. 

Before Lina could open her mouth to retort, Kathy shushed both of them.

"Please!"

"Sorry," they both apologized.

"Listen, guys, I appreciate you trying to console me, but...it's up to Don to apologize to me. It's been three weeks, so I don't know if he's going to do that, so you're better off just leaving it be. We're not getting back together."

"Just promise me one thing," Cosmo said.

"What?"

"Go to the soundstage party at Monumental next month."

Kathy thought for a moment. "Will he be there?"

"Probably. At least do it to let him know you're not hurting as much. You know Don. If he sees you happy, he'll let you go."

"Come on, Kat!" Lina smiled. "you can go with me and Zelda!"

Kathy thought some more before agreeing half-heartedly. She saw Cosmo and Lina out and then sat on the couch with her tea. She thought about him. His smile and how his big arms held her. His eyes, his lips, his everything. She cried herself to sleep.

Across town, Don laid his head on his pillow. The soundstage party couldn't come fast enough. He closed his eyes, but his dreams were full of Kathy underneath him. He smelled her scent, he felt and tasted her body, and it was as heavenly as he remembered, and so _real._ He woke up with a start. He was alone in his cavernous house. He sighed and fell back asleep and thought about her. He thought about their movie dates, their premieres and how beautiful she looked, their picnics, her laugh and her smile. How they could talk about anything and how well they got along. Dancing with her wasn't so bad, either. In fact, since she had started at Monumental, she had only gotten better at dancing.

And then he dreamed about her physically. Her sighs when he licked down her body. Her face when he sucked inside her. Her screams when he was deep inside her and her legs wrapped high around his back, echoing through the walls of his house or in her apartment. He chuckled when he dreamed about that one time they were going at it in her apartment and her roommate banged on her bedroom door to tell them to be quiet. 

He dreamed about how they loved to experiment. He dreamed about all the times in the shower and in their respective dressing rooms in-between takes. He knew how much she loved sex and that was one of the many things that made her so compatible with him. He loved that they were such a "good couple" for the press (and they really were a good couple), but when she was alone with him, all their inhibitions flew out the window.

And then he thought about their first time. It was after the SINGIN' IN THE RAIN premiere. He dropped her off, but she asked him to stay with her. They ended up making love in her tiny bed and he took her virginity. Don had been with many women, but the sensations and effect that this little Jewish girl from Texas had on him were unlike all of his past lovers combined. 

His eyes flew open again and he realized that his hand was on his penis. 

"Damn it," he mumbled when he saw his semen on his sheets.

 _I need to get her back,_ he thought.


	4. The Soundstage Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THINGS HAPPEN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: hotness and sexual tension ahead!

The Monumental staff--actors, actresses, producers, directors and more--were already in the soundstage for the party when Kathy, Lina and Zelda walked in. It was surprisingly formal; champagne glasses stood on a table on the right side of the room. Everyone was dressed in tuxedos and dresses, though it looked like they were reluctant to do so; the party had been planned by a few troublemakers at Monumental and was intended to be a wild blow until R.F. got wind of it and turned it into a formal occasion. 

Kathy, Lina and Zelda hung back towards the left side of the stage and watched people dance and drink. Kathy's eyes scanned the crowd nervously and finally, she spotted him.

He was against the drink table with Cosmo, naturally. By the look on his face, it looked like he hadn't even seen her walk in. Her heart sank and broke into a million pieces. She felt an arm around her shoulder and looked up at Lina. 

"It'll be all right," she smiled.

"No, it won't, unless I take matters into my own hands!" 

With a determined look on her face, Kathy strode confidently over to the drink table, about a few inches from where Don and Cosmo were talking. The minute she sipped a bit of champagne, however, she was nervous again. This was the first time in a month that she had been this close to him. His energy wafted over her like a perfume, and she could smell his aftershave. She wanted him. She hated to admit it to herself, but she wanted him. His smell and energy--his _presence_ was too much to resist. She even dared herself to think that she could take him home for a one night stand if she got drunk enough, it was that good. But try as she might, she couldn't make the first move, so she just stood firmly rooted to her spot and kept drinking and hoping he wouldn't talk to her.

Cosmo stopped mid sentence and tapped Don on the shoulder to indicate Kathy. Don went numb. She looked stunning.

"Talk to her," Cosmo whispered over his shoulder.

"Cos, I haven't seen this dame in a month."

"So? She came here alone, she doesn't have a man with her! She's still your girl!"

Don sighed.

Kathy was going to pick up another glass when a hand held one up to her mouth. She knew whose it was and instinctively drank. The glass was set down on the table.

"Hi," a high-pitched but husky voice floated into her ear.

Kathy and Don looked at each other for the first time in a month. Don picked a new glass and sipped to calm his nerves.

"How are you?"

"Fine," Kathy answered tersely.

Don nodded. "I'm in a new picture!" he smiled.

 _Typical Don,_ Kathy smirked to herself. _Always the braggart._ "Oh. Wonderful."

"Yeah."

The lights dimmed and a slow dance came on.

"Want to dance?" Don asked quietly.

Kathy slammed her glass down on the table. It was too much to bear. She walked past the dancing couples and out of the stage, Don hot on her trail. She stopped against the outside wall of the stage. In the chill of the night, she felt him press against her back and his fingers on her arms.

"You still love me," he whispered.

Kathy couldn't speak.

"I still love you too." He whirled her around and kissed her hard on her lips. Kathy broke away and vamped against the wall. Don followed and put one hand on the wall above her and looked at her with that smoldering look that made her melt. Kathy looked away.

"Don, don't do this."

Her worst nightmare was realized when he planted a feather-light kiss on her neck. With his lips on her neck, he whispered into her skin. "I've dreamed about you. How you taste. I've dreamed about holding you in my arms again. I know you want that. I know you miss that."

His other hand trailed down her body. Kathy's resolve was fading quickly. She hadn't felt love in a month and her ex-lover was ready and willing to give it. And he was right; she did still love him.

Don's eyes went back to her face and his hands cupped it. "Come home with me."

"No," and when Don stared at her, perplexed, she grabbed his jacket collar and said "you come home with me. My roommate's out."

\-----

And just like that, he was in her bed. 

He had driven home, but she had kept her hands to herself until they got out at her apartment. Neither of them cared whether any paparazzi saw them. They kissed in the entryway, tearing off their jackets. She dragged him to her door, where he pushed her against the wall and they kissed again. His hands went up her legs. She wanted him to fuck her right there in the hallway, but she pulled him inside. They made love in the kitchen and then moved it into the bedroom. The lights stayed off; they had the light of Hollywood just outside the windows. Their clothes were all over her apartment. Kathy's head was pounding with champagne and the thrusts of the man over her. They didn't pull back the sheets; there was no need. She was dizzy and grabbing at every body part of Don's she could find; his arms, his hair, his chest hair, his back. He raised her arms over her head and kept them there as he completed his final thrusts, causing both of them to come. He rolled off of her and pulled her into him as they both caught their breath.

Once they did, they lay in silence, listening to each other's heartbeats.

"Well?" Don broke the silence.

Kathy kept her body against his, but her eyes widened in horror with the realization of what she'd just done. She got out of bed quickly and looked back at him.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get out."

"Why?"

"Because you still haven't apologized and...even though we did...this...I can't take you back yet."

Now it was Don's turn to get out of her tiny bed. He walked over to her and put his hands on her elbows. 

"Kathy...what do I...what do I need to apologize for?"

"For using me to ruin Lina."

"You wanted her ruined too! That was the only way we could do it!"

"I still think it was wrong to use me like that. At least tell me before you do something like that!"

"Okay, but Kathy, look at what we just did. Look at how we feel about each other. We're still in love and I still want to get married and I know you do too. Don't ruin what we had."

A tear rolled down Kathy's face as she shook her head. Don sighed.

"I'll go, then." And he put his clothes on and left. She went back to bed and cried into her pillow, cursing herself for being such an idiot.


	5. Thinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day after Don and Kathy's reunion.

"So...you two did the nookie?"

"Yeah."

Don and Cosmo were at Don's drinking at his bar. Cosmo had wanted to go out, but Don wanted to discuss what had happened last night between him and Kathy in private. The two men shared a scotch each.

"What happens now?" Cosmo asked quietly.

Don shook his head as he leaned on the bar. "I have no idea."

They looked into their glasses somberly.

\-----------

"You guys had SEX?!?"

Kathy nodded slowly. Lina had once again been required to come over to her apartment to console her. Kathy was pale, whiter than a ghost. She couldn't even look at how Lina was staring at her, flabbergasted. 

"What were you...I mean were you thinking during it?"

"I couldn't, but I _was,_ you know? I was thinking about how good it felt to be back with him..."

"So why don't you just drop this thing already? I'm not offended, he still wants to marry you, just...get back with him and stop ruining everyone's life with pointless drama!"

Kathy stood up. "It's pointless of me to demand an apology after he embarrassed me in front of Hollywood?"

Lina shrugged. "He thinks he was doing the right thing."

"How come you don't care?"

"The publicity's over, honey. Once the publicity's blown over, I stop caring."

Kathy looked down.

"Look, Kat, sweetie," Lina began. "you've been fighting this way too long. He wants you back, you want him back. Drop the apology crap and get back with him!"

Just at that moment, a knock came at the door. Kathy went to go answer it and returned to the kitchen table with a telegram. She opened it and read it aloud.

_Lunch tomorrow? Want to see you." --DL_

The women looked at each other apprehensively.


	6. Lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don and Kathy meet for lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter!

Don had given Kathy instructions to meet him at A&W. Kathy smirked. She saw right through him. He knew it was her favorite spot to grab a burger at. Still, though, she sighed; it was such a nice day. She would've even preferred that he take her to the beach. Kathy was still thinking as she walked into the restaurant and saw him seated at a table for two next to the window. 

"Hi," she said as she approached him.

"Hi," he bit into a French fry.

"Nice of you to wait for me to get here before you ordered."

Don shrugged. 

"So why am I here?"

"Well," Don said with a mouthful of fry. He dusted his hands off and rested both arms on the table and stared at her intently.

"I _do_ apologize. It was wrong what we did. But I just want you to understand why we did it."

"I _do_ understand why you did it. I just think you could've done it in a way that didn't embarrass me."

Don threw down the fry he was holding, exasperated. "What would you have me do, Kathy? It was the only way to expose Lina! The audience was already onto her anyway."

Kathy sighed and looked down. "I'm gonna order a burger."

A few minutes later, the waitress appeared with Kathy's cheeseburger and fries, a molehill compared to Don's mountain of a bacon cheeseburger.

"Listen," Don began once she had eaten a fry. "the other night--"

"DON'T talk to me about the other night. That was a mistake. Or..."

Don raised his eyebrows at her.

Kathy backtracked. "Okay, maybe it wasn't. I _do_ still love you, Don. But you need to realize that it's not all fun and games anymore. If we want to be married, you need to take things seriously! You need to start devoting some more of your time to me and less to Cosmo and coming up with those hare-brained schemes of yours, and you need to stop treating me like arm candy. _Show_ me you love me, and I don't mean through just sex or buying me expensive things. I don't want any of those things. I want _you._ ""

It was Don's turn to look down. She was right. He nodded and put a few dollars on the table to pay for their meal. "Want to go for a walk?"

Kathy smiled. That didn't take long.

\--------

Don and Kathy strolled through Pershing Square hand in hand. It was a beautiful spring day and the park was filled with small children's laughter. 

"Sooo..." Don began as he swung Kathy's hand in his and smiled.

"Sooo..." Kathy flirted back.

"Are we okay now?"

"A formal apology would be nice."

Don let go of her hand abruptly and dramatically dropped to his knees.

"KATHY SELDEN. I AM SO UNBELIEVABLY SORRY. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. MARRY ME, BABY."

Kathy burst out laughing. "I accept," when she finally was able to stop. "and yes, I _will_ marry you!"

THE END :)


End file.
